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Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1916, Page 4

BRITISH PRESS HUMORS. With a section of the British press sensationalism is the breath of life. If they cannot serve up sensational news in quantities to suit their predilection! they fall back on their inventive faculties and formulate startling rumors, or voice demands that will create a stir. Apparently, the speculative process is now taking the place of important news in some of the English papers, and recent cables have contained rumors concerning changes at the War Office and the Admiralty. The Daily Sketch on Wednesday stated that changes of great importance were contemplated at the War Office, and that probably Lord Kitchener would retire, being succeeded by the Chief of Staff, General Sir William Robertson, while a civilian of real organising ability would become Secretary of War, leaving Lord Kitchener free for imporant work elsewhere. Exactly why Lord Kitchener should so frequently be the object of rumor is only to be •xplained by the fact that he is the central figure in connection with the war. It was not long since that a London newspaper was suppressed for a time for stating that Lord Kitchener had resigned. The Daily Sketch is more wary and imports the word "probably" into its sensational statement, which, so far, is altogether lacking in corroboration, and therefore, is not entitled to serious consideration. The Daily Sketch having disposed of the head of the War Office, die Daily TelegTaph took the Admiralty in hand and announced that there was a rumor of the impending resignation of the First Sea Lord, Admiral SU- Henry Jackson, but at t'.iu same time stating that the Admiral refused to give any information of the subject. The ball having been started rolling, evoked from several London evening newspapers (which are always on the look y.it .'or stirring topics;, tin nucleus of hi. agitation for tlio. rctMll of Lord Fisher to uie Admiralty, a proposal thai was strongly attacked by the Morning Post, in which Lord Fisher's methods were very drastically and adversely criticised, the author of this attack expressing the opinion that the attempt to boom Lord Fisher deserved to be punished. These journalistic exercises doubtless serve the purpose of giving the public something to talk about when war news is scarce. They may or may not have a foundation, but certainly no good purpose is served by circulating mere rumors tluit may cause an infinity if needless alarm, for there are ahvnyß those who lire so constituted that they see i rouble and scandal in every rumor. It ia always good policy to put little trust In such uncertain statements, but to await official announcements before speculating on possible developments.